Country Club Golf Courses
Almost all country club golf courses will let none members play for a payable green fee. You need to balance this cost against the cost of a membership as the amount you spend n green fees would of course depend on how much golf you play.
Lets say you only play once a week and the green fee is $25 for the round. That means your golf is costing you $1300 annually. If the membership is $2K a year, its not making much sense to join on the strength of the golf alone. If you play at least twice a week though then you would be saving money and it would be wise to join the country club even if you were only going to use the golf facilities.
There are of course other privileges to becoming a member of your country club that should be considered such as spa, sauna and gym equipment available etc. Is there an in house league, competitions and other activities? Is there a thriving youth program for your youngsters to get involved with and anything your partner may be interested in if they don't play golf?
For many people joining the local country club is all about status. These clubs can be important for making important business contacts etc. as the club house is usually the center of the social life. While some may be joining to perhaps get closer to potential customers for ther business others join so their teenage children can make new friends and contacts as they approach adult hood. The country club golf house is a great place for kids to learn correct etiquette.
Other benefits that might be on offer include member discounts in the pro shop(up to 20% at some clubs), preferred tee off times and discount green fees if you bring any none members to the club for a round of golf.
If you are new to the area you may wish to try several country clubs before deciding by taking out a monthly membership. Even if they do not advertise a one month membership, they can usually be negotiated.
Country clubs sometimes have property for sale set amongst and around the golf course itself. These properties usually come with country club golf membership included. One such country club is Collier's Reserve in Naples, Florida. Situated along the Cocohatchee River it offers its homeowners the chance to enjoy fishing and boating as well championship golf. Now thats what I call a great life!
These live in country club golf courses are very popular in Europe, in particular Portugal and Spain. Already tens of thousands have taken early retirement from northern european countries such as England and made a new life for themselves with a warmer climate and world class golf.
A Tale of Two Putters - Isao Aoki vs Nick Price
Legal Implications Of Remote Controlled Golf Trolleys In Europe